Fire-stop control



I. I". WILSON.

FIRE STOP CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED Amma, I9II.

J. F. WILSON.

FIRE STOP CONTROL.

vAPPLICATION HLEp Amma, 1911.

Patented Margess, 1920 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lili

JUSEPH F. XVILSON, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-TOP CONTROL.

Lacanau.

Application filed August 13, 1917.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrri F. WILSON, a citizen ci the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State oi' Massachusetts, have invented new and useful improvements in Fire-Stop Control, of which the following is a specilication.

lhe present invention has reference to lire stop curtains adapted for use in theaters and other places oiE public gathering to prevent flames originating on the stage from passing into the auditorium. It is the object ot the invention to provide a releasing means in connection with a iireprooi drop curtain or other lire stop adapted to be op-h crated either automatically or by human agency upon the occurrence of a tire .to permit the curtain or tire stop to drop and thereby separate the apartment in which the lire has originated iirom the apartment in which people are gathered. rlhe invention is useful not only in connection with the drop curtain oi' a theater stage, but also to control tire shutters such as are provided in theaters above the stage to be opened 'for release of flames and smoke when a lire occurs on the stage, and in general ior any use in'wliich it is desired to separate one apartment from another quickly or to open a reliei' outlet of any sort.

The invention is applied to devices in the nature et lire stops, shutters, curtains, etc., which are held in one position by a cable and are adapted to be automatically brought into another position either by their own weight or by a counter-weight when the cable is released. Accordingly this invention includes a holder for such cable and means for releasing such holder when the contemplated emergency occurs. The invention also constitutes in part a distant controlling means for effecting release of such cable holder in the circumstances lindicated, which distant controller may be operated manually by a person on the spot or automatically by the heat developed by a lire.

ln the drawings forming part of this application l have shown two of the possible embodiments of the invention.

Figure l is an elevation representing part ot a cable with a clamp for the same and locking and releasing means for the clamp in elevation, all contained in a case which is represented in section, and shows also Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

Serial No. 186,073.

diagrammatically an electric circuit for operating said releasing means and the con- `l illust ating a modilication of the invention.

.Referring to the drawings, l represents a cable which may be considered as the cable leading to the hoist oli a theater drop curtain, and it may also be considered as typical of any movable means for holding such a safety contrivance as a theater drop curtain in the raised position or a lire shutter in the closed position, such curtain, shutter or the like being so poised or counterweighted as to tend to assume the safety position when the cable is allowed to move. From now on l will assume that the invention is applied in connection with a theater drop curtain which is raised when open and adapted to be lowered by gravity so as to close the stage opening, making this assumption for convenience and brevity of the desc iption and without intending thereby to indicate limitation of the invention to any particular combination or particular use otherwise than as limitation is expressly required by the terms oi the claims.

The means iorholding the cable against endwise movement and thereby retaining the curtain in the raised position comprises two clamping jaws 5 and 6 which are aranged on opposite sides of the cable and are adapted to grip the same between them. These jaws are preferably blocks of wood having rounded grooves in those sides or edges which bear against the cable, and they are so mounted as to be movable toward and away from the cable, each havin@r slots 7 and 8 through which project supporting studs 9 and l0 respectively. Such studs are mounted on the wall of the case ll indicated in section in Figs. l and 3; or they may be mounted on a wall of the building or any other convenient support.

ln the embodiments of the invention here shown each oi the `iaws is independently movable to grip and release the cable, the jaw 5 being thus operable manually by means oi a pivoted hand lever l2 having a `cam portion i8 which bears against the outer side olf the jaw, and the other jaw 6 lOO Y a stud 15 and having aV short arm 16 provded'with a roll 17 which bears against the outer side of the jaw adjacent to an inclined surfacelS on such outer side. The longer varm of lever 14 carries by means fof a pivot 19 relatively vremote from the fulcrum stud 15 a secondary lever 20,the arms of which are of unequal length. The short arm 21 of this secondary lever rests on an abutment 22 which is mounted on a holder 23 iXed to the wall of the case 11 or other support while the long arm of its lever restson a toe 24 proj ecting from a dog 25 which is pivoted on a fixed fulcrum pin 26. A trip arm 27 stands in the path of movement of the dog` and thus sustains the latter in the position shown Vin Fig. 1 so that iteannotbe displaced bythe pressure applied to its toe 24;

but' theV line inV which pressure is applied to the toe by lever 20is atene side of fulcrum V26, wherefore suchvpressure tends to displace the dog, and normally causes the long arm of the dog to bear on the trip.

Trip arm 27 is part of the lever 28 pivoted on a iXed fulcrum 29 and carrying the armature 3() of an electroinagnet 31. A spring 32'holds the trip arm in the .position shown in the drawing, in which position the lever arm 28 bears against a stop 33 and the 'armature 30 is near enough to the pole piece 34 of the electromagnet to be strongly attracted thereby when the magnet is energized.

Thewinding of the electromagnet is connected to two conductors 35 and 36, which V{fe-rmA part of Van electric circuit containing a battery 37 or other source of energy and in which there is a switch 38 and a controller 39. Switch 3S may be considered as a push button or any other sort of switch andas typifying one or a number of controllers adapted to be ope-rated by human agency at one or more points distant from the lock. Thus, for example, in a theater I may provide switches, in parallel circuits including the magnet and battery, and located in the stage managers station, the chief usher-s station, the box oiiice, stations of watchmen, and elsewhere, or in any one or more of the designated locations. `39 typiies an automatic circuitcontroller which is contained in circuit with the magnet and battery as shown," and may be connected with an automaticre alarm so as to be operated by or simultaneously with the same, or it may be connected with an automatic sprinkler system or sprinkler alarm, so'V as to close the circuit and release the lock when heat is developed by a re suiiicient to put the automatic sprinklers or the alarm in operation.

Then the magnet circuit is closed by either of the means indicated, the armature 3() is attracted and the trip arm removed from the path of that part of the dog 25 which it obstructs. This leaves the dog i'ree to move so that its toe no longer providesl a rigid support for the lever 20. It should be noted that the arm 1G of lever 14 is at such an inclination that the line in which the pressure of the compressed cable acts through the jaws 6 on the roll 17 is inclined to the arm 16 and extends at one side of the fulcrum 15, whereby it causes pressure to be exerted by the lever arm 21 against the abutment 22, which causes the long arm of this lever to press against the toe 24. Therefore when the dog 25 is released as above described the roll 17 is no longer held rigidly against the jaw, but is free to be displaced leaving the jaw loose and releasing the eable. The arm 21 then falls below the abutlment 22.

In order to secure the clamp again it is only necessary to raise thc `lever 14 until the arm 21 Ypasses above the abutment 22. T he latter is mounted to slide in a socket 40 in its holder and is pressed outward by a spring 41, and it has a beveled face at the side opposite tothat on which the arm 21 rests. Thus when the lever is restored to the locking 4position the arm 21 wipes across said beveled face, retracting the abutment until the arm has passed it, when the abutment is shot forward by its spring. The arm 21 then strikes a fixed stop 42, whereby further movement of lever 14 in the same direction causes the long arm of lever 20 to strike a finger 43 on the dog and restore such dog to the locking position. In being so restored the end of the dog passes across the trip arin 27 and displaces the latter, which is then brougl'it into the locking position by the Vspring 32. Preferably trip arm 29 is connected by a pivot 44 with the lever 2S, which permits displacement of the trip arm in the direction last indicated without displacingl the lever, but such trip arm has a finger 45 extending beside an adjacent part of' the lever in such a mannenthat it causes thev movement of the lever when attracted by the magnet to displace the trip arm positively.

In order to increase the security oi the grip of the clamps on the cable, I provide metal inserts 4G, of which one or more are set into the edges of the clamps next to the cable so as to cross the grooves in such edges wherein the cable lies. These. inserts project somewhat from the cable. receiving grooves so that they are adapted to bite into the cable, as shown in detail in Fig. 2, when the jaws are closed. v

Preferably the clamping aws, automatillO lib

cally operated lock., and the automatic controlling means, are inclosed in the case 11 to avoid injury and prevent tampering With them. The cable passes through openings in the case and so does the handle part of the manually operated lever 12. The latter' is the device which is ordinarily and regularly used tor securing the curtain when it is raised and lowered in the course ot theatrical performances. The automatic release is an emergency contrivance exclus ely. After being set ready lor use the case is closed, and it is then ordinarily never opened except to reset the release device l-ollowing an emergency when either the automatic controller' or a manually operated distant switch has been worked torthe purpose and with the effect already described.

An important lr'eature oit the automatic controlling mechanism is that it is tree of close litting and sliding parts, and is, theret'ore, not liable to get out et order. It Will be observed that the secondary lever 20 which supports the securing lever does not slide upon either ot its abutments, but rocks on the same, Wherefore it is n'ot liable to become fastened thereto by accumulation of dust, rust, etc., from long` disuse` The only part which slides upon another part is the trip arm 2"?, Which has a short sliding movement on the long arm oli` the dog, but,

the pressure exerted on the trip by this arm is so very light that the friction resisting displacement ot the trip is inappreciable. rlllre dog 25 is the last of a train ot three levers, ea ch of which is a power diminishing lever.

l ln the modiiication shown in Fig. 3, the only substantial difference is found in the stop lever release or trip. The stop lever 1l is essentially the same as that already described, except that it lacks the secondary or bridge lever 2O and bears at the outer end ot its long arm directly on the toe 9A oi a dog 25a. The latter has a long arm which bears against a stop dog #t7 pivoted on a lfulcrum pin 48 and having a Weighted arm a@ which tends to displace its stop abutment out ot the Way oi the supporting dog The stop abutment and the Weighted arm are held in the position shown in the drawing by a latch arm 27a on an armature lever 2li interposed in the path of an arm 530 on the stop dog. All other elements shown in llig. 3 are the same as those shown in Fig. 1 and are designated by the same relierence numbers. i

ln order to distinguish the tvvo dogs shown in Fig. 3 from each other, I have called the one which directly engages the locking lever 1aand supports the same the supporting dog and the other the stop dog.

rlhis curtain release device is adapted to be used and operated simultaneously with 'the emergency exit doors described in my pending application Serial Number 186,072, tiled August 13, 1917, and to be controlled by the .same distant controlling means; this lire stop or lire release shutter tor-ming conjointly witht the automatically controlled exit doors a comprehensive satty means :for theaters and the like adapted to prevent as tar as possible the entrance of llames to an auditorium and at the same time incidentally permit egress ot the audience.

Preferably the hand lever 12 is adjustable, its pivot 12 being mounted adjustably in a slot 12b in the casing, or the opposite ends ot the pivot may be in slots in opposite sides et the casing.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A lire stop control apparatus comprising a cable, complemental clamps embracing and gripping said cable, each of said clamps lbeing movable awa f from the cable independently oiZ the other, a casing containing said clamps, an abutment for one ol said clamps having a handle projecting out oit the casing and operable manually to release the clamp with which it is engaged, a displaceable abutment for the other ot said clamps normally holding the latter in engagement with the cable, automatic means iter releasing the latter abutment, said automatic means and the abutment being contained Within the case, and a distant control for causing operation of said automatic means for the purpose stated.

2. A lire stop control apparatus comprising` a cable, complemental clamps embracing said cable and adapted to grip the same between them, separat-e abutments for the several clamps each arranged to hold the clamp Wit-h which it co-acts in engagement with the cable and each being displaceable to permit release oit such clamp, manual means for making one of said abutments inoperative and automatic means for making inoperative the other of said abutments.

3. The combination with a lire stop control cable of complemental clamps embracing said cable and adapted to grip the same between them, a releasable abutment bearing against one of said clamps for holding the same against the cable and having a handle whereby it may be manually displaced to release said clamp, a second displaceable abutment bearing against the other of said clamps to hold the same against the cable, an electromagnet, tripping mechanis-m controlled. by said magnet for enabling the last named albutment to be displaced, and a switch in circuit With said electromagnet for energizing the magnet.

4L. A cable gripping and releasing means comprising a jaw adapted to bear on and bind a cable, a lever having an arm pressing on said jaw to hold the same against the cable, and sof arranged that the reaction of the jaw tends to shift it into an inoperative position, a dog holding said lever in the operative position,` a detent preventing disi placement ofthe dog, and means for displacing said detent and thereby permitting the dog to release the lever.

5. A cable grippingand releasing means Vcomprising a jaw adapted to bear on and bind a. cable, a lever having an arin pressing on said ]aW to hold the same against the cable, and so arranged that the reaction of such maner as will displace the same and 'thereby release said dog, and a switch in the circuit of said magnet forl making the same active. Y

y 6. A cable gripping and releasing means comprising a jaw ladapted to bear on and bind a cable, a lever having any arm pressing on said jaw to hold rthe'sameV against'the cable, and so arranged that the reaction of the jaw tends to shift it into` a-n inoperative position, said lever having a secondV arm,a secondarylever pivoted to said second arm, an abut-ment on which one arm of said secondary lever rests, a dog on which another arm of the saine lever bears, a detent obstructing movement of said dog under the pressure applied t0 it by said lever,

and a controller for displacing said detent from its obstructing position.

A 7. A cable gripping and releasing means comprising a jaw adapted to bear on and bind a cable, a lever having an arm pressing on said Jaw to hold the same against the cable, and so arranged that the reaction of the jaw tends t0 shift it into an inoperative position, said lever having a second arm, a secondary lever pivoted to said second arm, a stationary abutment and a pivoted dog engaged with said said secondary lever at points on different sides of the pivot thereof preventing movement thereof, the dog being movable out of the way of the secondary lever and having rolling Contact therewith when so moving, a detent preventing such movement of the dog, and means for disengaging said detent from the dog.

8. A cable gripping and releasing means for the purpose stated comprising a jaw adapted to bear upon and bind a cable, a pivoted lever having arms unequal in length of which the short arm bears against said jaw at an inclination to the reaction of the latter, a secondary lever against which the long arm of the first named lever bears, a stationary abutment and a. pivoted dog su pportingsaid secondary lever, a detent hold ing said dog against displacement under the `thrust of the secondary lever, and an elecsignature.

JOSEPH F. VILSON. 

